1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure generally relates to the field of automatic data collection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of methods exist for tracking and providing information about objects. For example, the automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) field includes a variety of different types of AIDC data carriers and AIDC readers operable to read data encoded in such data carriers. Typical uses for AIDC technologies include, for example, identifying objects, collecting information about those objects, and entering that information into an AIDC system without the need for human intervention. For example, AIDC technologies are useful for managing inventory items that include data carriers (e.g., printed labels) that provide information such as a manufacturer identifier, product identifier, serial number, quantity, price, weight, and size of the inventory item. In some instances, machine-readable symbols (e.g., bar code symbols, area or matrix code symbols, and/or stacked code symbols) carry the encoded data. In other instances, human-readable symbols (e.g., text characters) carry the encoded data.
Commercial acceptance of AIDC technology is dependent on a variety of factors including, for example, cost, durability, versatility, reliability, and capturing accuracy. For example, typical scanning technologies are relatively inexpensive and can automatically capture machine-readable data at very high speeds, with a very high degree of accuracy. Typical scanning technologies for automatically capturing human-readable symbologies, however, are more costly, and usually exhibit much lower capturing accuracies.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above, and provides further related advantages.